I Told My Son to Quit Baseball

He was having a hard time hitting. A few weeks ago, he was hit by a pitch and is a little nervous when hitting. He does not want to get hit again so he steps away from home plate when the pitch is coming.

He has been getting increasingly frustrated each game. Last week this resulted in him getting fairly upset after a strike out.

So we talked about his future playing baseball. He was complaining about striking out, blaming the umpire for bad calls, and sounding ready to give up. So it seemed logical to me what the next step was. Things weren’t going his way. He was struggling and didn’t see any positive changes coming soon.

So I said, “Mike, maybe it time to quit playing baseball.” He looked at me like I was crazy. Well, only slightly. It was a test. He loves baseball! At the moment it is his favorite sport. He told me he did not want to quit, but he wanted to start hitting again. Now he has a goal. We all have goals! For you it may be to lose weight and get your life a little healthier.

If so this next part is for you. I asked my son, “What is your plan to start hitting again.” His response, “Practice.” He then asked me for help.

So we came up with an action plan. We came up a daily and weekly task planner. I gave him drills to do each day and throughout the week to help him reach his goal. It won’t be easy. He will likely struggle for a few more weeks (or longer). Change takes time and consistency. He is a 9-year old boy and baseball is a sport that he “plays.” I want him to enjoy what he is doing. It is not a job. He just has to “want” to get better.

I tell you this story because it mimics conversations I have with people about weight loss. Everyone has a goal (i.e. I want to lose 30lbs). But, no one has a plan to get there. Most people complain about their failed attempts in the past and reasons why they can’t achieve their goal. They talk about how their life and responsibilities get it their way. They talk about how they quit.

Hopefully as you read my story about my son and him quitting baseball, you disagreed. You thought it was “crazy” that I would suggest such a thing. That is my thought when someone tells me that had a little bit of adversity trying to lose weight and gave up.

You need to put your plan together first. As you are executing your plan, you must concede that it will not go perfect. There will be bumps along the way. Just stay with the plan and you will be amazed by your results.